Method and apparatus for making lantern wheels for clocks and other purposes



July 5 1927. 1,634,906

H. KIENZLE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING LANTERN WHEELS FOR CLOCKS AND OTHER PURPOSES Filed Oct. 5, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jig 2 July 1927 H. KIENZLE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING LANTERN WHEELS FOR CLOCKS AND OTHER PURPOSES Filed Oct. 5, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 1927? H. KIENZLE IETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING LANTERN WHEELS FOR CLOCKS AND OTHER PURPOSES Filed Oct. 5, 1922' 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,634,906 PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT KIENZLE, OE SOHWENNINGEN-ON-THE-NECKAR, GERMANY.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING LANTERN WHEELS FOR CLOCKS AND OTHER PURPOSES.

Application filed October 3, 1922, Serial No. 592,048, and in Germany October 11, 1921.

My present invention relates to the manufacture of lantern-wheels, such as are used in clocks,spring-motors, and other mechanisms, and has reference more particularly to the assembling and fastening of the pins of such wheels.

So-called lantern-wheels consist of a shaft or arbor with ends turned down to form trunnions, two disks connected with such shaft rigidly, generally by pressing or driving them on tightly, and pins of polished steel, supported in these disks and serving as driving elements for a toothed wheel meshing with such lantern-wheel. The customary procedure in manufacturing lanternwheels consists in first securing both disks on the shaft and then drilling the holes in the disks, for the reception of the pins. The pins are cut off individually from coils of wire, or strands of wire, in suitable shearing machines, and are then inserted one by one into the respective holes of the disks. This work of attaching the spindles is frequently a manual operation performed at the workers home, or in some cases the spindies have been put in a shaking device from which, under the influence of an air current produced by suction or by pressure, the are caused to fall automatically into the mice; of the holding disks.

My present invention provides a much more perfect and'more economical Way of applying the pins and assembling the lantern-wheels. According to my invention, the ends of the wires from which the pins are cut, are led through guides into registry with the pin-receiving holes of the disks, and are then inserted into such holes. That is to say,-up to and includin the step of drilling the holes into the dis s, to receive 'the pins, the procedure may be the usual one; from that point on, however, a materially different procedure is employed. The pins are not, as heretofore, cut off individually on a separate machine, nor are they inserted one by one into the disks of the lantern-wheel, but the wires from which the pins are cut, have their ends led or gathered together to form a bundle, and this-bundle is treated as a unit in the further operations. The individual elements of the bundle are at adistance and in a pos tion relatively toeach other corresponding to those of the pins of the finished wheel, and

therefore corresponding to the pin-receiving holes of the said disks.

pin-forming wire-ends are inserted into the disks at the same. time. and not one after the other; the operation therefore is performed in a much shorter time. The cutting off of the pin portions from the wire.

ends may be effected either before or after such ends have been introduced into the lantern-wheel body, and this may be carried out in a practically continuous operation, no special machine being required for cutting.

For properly inserting the pins into the holes of the disks the pins and holes must be exactly in line with each other. Though the lantern-wheels can be centered before inserting the pins, yet to obtain good results exact centering is necessary which is not always attained. Even if the lanternwheels are exactly centered it is not possible to insert the pins into the holes if the relative distance of the holes doesnot corre spond tothat of the pins.

vMy invention also comprises means to insert the pins into the lantern-wheels in the prop-er way, and with this object in view testing means are provided for testing whether or not the pins can be smoothly inserted. In the preferred construction such testing means consist of longitudinally shiftable testing pins disposed in the path of the lantern-Wheels and corresponding in p.0'si-- tion and relativearrangement-to the pins to be inserted, said testing pins being adapted to be shifted towards the lanternwheels before inserting the pins. If the holes are in proper positions the correspond ing testing pins pass into the same, while in case of a. slight inaccuracy of the holes the testing pins are arrested in front of the holes, thus indicating that the lantern-wheel is unsuitable for further manufacture. which lantern-wheel is removed before getting into position for inserting the pins. Thereby any interference with the proper operation is avoided.

Preferably the movement of the holder of the testing pins relatively to the arrested pins is made use of for operating ejecting mechanism adapted to eject the lanternwheel from its support.

However, even if the lantern-Wheels are Thus, in contradis-' tinction to the practice followed hitherto, all

' rivetin exactly centered inserting of the pins may be made impossible by a fin formed at the front faces of the pins by the cutting operation. Therefore, I provide means for removing the said fin from the pins before inserting the same.

Preferably, in addition to the means for removing the fins means are provided for slightly pointing the pins, in order that they may securely be inserted if the pitch line of the pins is not exact. For this purpose the guide for the inserting mechanism is provided between the pins with a conical cutout portion through which a conical cutter can be applied to the bottom ends of the pins. Preferably the pointing mechanism is automatically moved into and out of operative position by the movement of the means for cutting the spindles from the wires.

The machine serving to carry out the process indicated above, is, according to my invention, constructed in such a manner that the lantern-wheel bodies, supported in suitable traveling holders, will pass from a point where they receive the pin-forming wires, to another point where they come into operative relation to a device for upsetting or riveting the free or exposed ends of the pins. These ends are to be riveted to the disk through which they pass first upon being inserted into the holes; this riveting takes place after the pins have reached, their final position. The simplest way of effecting this operation consists in passin the partial y-completed lantern-wheels, wit the pins inserted therein, under a milled wheel or crimping wheel which rivets the pin ends to said disk. In the procedure observed hitherto, the lantern-wheels, after the insertion of the pins, had to be brought by hand, individually, under a riveting device, this operation is, according to my invention, accomplished automatically or positively, by machinery, the only manual operations consisting in first placing the incomplete lantern-wheels (without pins), in their holders, and at the end, after the riveting step,removing the completed lantern-wheels rom their holders. I thus dispense with several operations that were necessary in the practice followed hitherto, and thus a further saving in working time and in the cost of labor is effected. Even the'manual removal of the finished lantern-wheels may be done away with, so that a further saving is obtained; for this purpose, my improved machine is provided with an automatic ejector which removes the lantern-wheels from their holders after the pin ends have been riveted.

In order to give a clearer explanation of .m invention, I have annexed hereto sheets of drawings, in which, Fig. 1, is a perspective view of a lantern-wheel such as results from the process described herein; Fig. 2, is

an elevation, largely of a diagrammatic character, illustrating the several instrumentalities of which the improved machine is composed; Fig. 3, is a diagrammatical elevation partly in section of the testing mechanism; Fig. 4, is a. plan view of a part of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, is an elevation partly in section showing the mechanism for removing the fins from the pins and pointing the same; Fig. 6, is a detail view showing a part of Fig. 5 on an enlarged scale; Fig. 7, is a plan view of a part of Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 is a detailed view, on an enlarged scale, of the parts shown in the upper right hand portion of Fig. 3.

Each of the lantern-wheels consists of a shaft, arbor, or spindle 1, having its ends turned down to form trunnions, of two disks 2, 3 driven tightly on said shaft, so as to be rigid therewith, and of pins 4 set in holes or recesses of said disks. The incomplete lantern-wheels, that is to say, the shafts l with the disks 2, 3 thereon, but without the pins 4:,are placed in suitable holders or sockets in a revoluble table or support 5; these sockets at the same time serve to center the incomplete lantern-wheels and to position them properly with reference to the pinsupplying and to the pin-riveting devices, as well as to the ejector. Before the work is thus placed in the sockets or holders of the table 5, the holes or recesses for the reception of the pins have been made in the disks 2, 3, those in the disk 3 terminating short of the lower surface of said disk, instead of extending fully through such disk, so that the pins which are subsequently inserted from above will come to rest on the bottoms of the recesses drilled in the disk 3.

The wires 6 from which the pins 4 are to be cut, are coiled on spools 7. From these the wires are fed as required by the operation and are first passed through a strai htening device 8, in which they are stretched. Thereupon the wires pass through successive guides 9, 10, 11, and 12, the lowermost of which, 12, is provided with a blade 13 or other severing device. Beneath the guide 12 islocated a" movable stop 14, which in one position closes the wire-passages of the guide 12, and in another position uncovers them for the free passage of the wires. The guides 9, 10, 11, and 12 are provided with tension devices of any well-known or approved construction, cooperating with said guides in such a manner that the wires 6 will be held fast before the severing'device 13 cuts oil the lower ends of said wires. The tension devices may be located within the guides, or outside, and may be provided either at different points, or a single tension device may'be employed- After the wire ends have been cut off by the blade 13 or equivalent mechanism, the pressure of the tension device (or devices) is discontinued,

and while thus free from the wire, an upward movement is given tosuch device (or devices) while the wires remain stationary, the extent of such upward movement being equal to the length of the pins 1; then the wires are gripped anew by such tension device (or devices) "and a downward movement is given to such device (or devices) to feed the wires 6 downward a distance corresponding to the length of the pins 4. Beforethis downward feed takes place, the stop 14 is moved aside so as to clear the path of the wires, and thus, when the wires are fed downward as described, the previously out ends will be pushed down by the main bodies of the wires and driven into the holes of the disks 2, 3 of the incomplete lantern wheel which at that time is in registry with the guide 12. It will be understood that the table is given a rotary movement, of an intermittent character, to bring the several lantern-wheel blanks successively into registry with the Wire-supplying guide 12.

. Before inserting the pins into the holes made in the disks 2 and 3 of the lanternvvheels the holes .are tested as to their exact position relatively to the pins, and the fin is removed therefrom. In the example shown in Figs. 3 and 4: the testing means consist of a vertically shiftable holder 17 controlled by a cam disk 18. iVithin a cylindrical bore of said holder there is a casing 19 providing guides for vertically shiftable testing pins 20. The said pins are acted upon by springs 21 bearing against collars 211 on the pins and tending to push said collars 211 against the bottom of the casing, and the pins pass with their lower ends downwardly and through the said bottom. When testing the said pins are operated in a manner similar to the pins 4, for which purpose their number, dimension and relative arrangement are the same as those of the ins 4.

Within a chamber provided in the holder 17 a latch bolt 22 is shiftable' which is adapted to be pressed by a spring 23 into a groove 24 made in a sleeve 26 rotatably mounted on a spindle 25. The said latch bolt is the armature of a solenoid 27 the coil of which is included in the circuit of a battery 28. One of the terminals of the said battery is connected with an insulated metallic plate 29 secured to the top wall of the casing 19, and the opposite terminal is connected with the solenoid 27. The solenoid is electrically connected to the casing 19 and .through the same with the bolt 22.

arm below the pins 20 and thereafter the ejector arm is automatically returned into initial position. For this purpose the sleeve.

26 cooperates with a sleeve 32 provided with a cam slot 33 engaged by a pin 34 secured to the spindle 25. The sleeves are adapted to be coupled by means of a screw 36 secured to the sleeve 26 and engaging in a slot 35 bushings on the rotary table 5, said bushings centering the lantern-wheels as far as possible, so that the holes made in the disks are in alignment with the pins when the lanternwheels arrive in position below the pin supplying mechanism. When moving towards the pin-supplying mechanism the lantern- Wheels get at first into position below the testing pins 20 of the testing apparatus, and when the spindle 1 is below the center of the pitch line of the pins 20 the holder 17 'controlled by the cam disk 18 moves downwardly, the bolt 22 sliding in the groove 24 of the sleeve26.

If the axes of all the holes 38 in the disk 2 are in alignment with the axes of the pins 20, all the pins pass into the holes, and they are. retracted therefrom when lifting the holder 17, whereupon the table 5 continues its rotary movement and places the next lanter-wheel 1, 2, 3 in position. below the testing apparatus. If however the pitch of the holes of the lantern-wheel is incorrect, or if the lantern-wheel is not in the correct position, only those of the pins are passed into the holes 38, upon downward movement of the holder 17, which are in line with the corresponding holes, while the other pins are arrested on the top face of the disk 2, so that the contact plate 29 gets into engagement with the said pins. Thereby the circuit of the battery 28 is closed and the latch bolt 22 is retracted by the solenoid 27 from the groove 24; Therefore the ejector 30 is rocked by the spring 31 towards the lantern-wheel and between the disks 2 and 3 thereof. By reason of 'the slot 35 the sleeve 26 is free to turn relatively to the sleeve 32. If now the holder 17 moves upwardly, the defectively constructed or positioned lantern-wheel 1, 2, 3 is removedby the ejector from the table 5 and the path of the lantern-wheels. Upon further upward movement the holder 17 engages the shoulder 37, and by the cooperation of the pin 34 and the cam slot 33 the ejector 30 is returned into initial position, whereupon the bolt 22 is pushed by the spring 23 into the groove 24.

I wish it to be understoodthat my invention is not limited to the construction of the ejector mechanism shown in the drawin s.

lhe lantern-wheels l, 2, 3 which by the testing operation have proved satisfactory Furthermore a collar 37 provided on.

are advanced by the table 5 into position below the pin applying mechanism. In the example shown in Figs. 5 to 7 the lower guide 12 also has the function to sever the pins 4: from the wire, and therefore it is adapted to be turned about its axis by mechanism not shown.

As shown in Figs. 5 to 7 on an upright 39 carrying the pin applying mechanism there are mounted means for removing the fin from the pins and pointing the latter; \Vithin a pillar 40 a vertical hollow shaft 11 is rotatable and longitudinally shiftable, and within the said hollow shaft a spindle 42 is located, said shaft and spindle moving vertically in unison. To the hollow shaft an arm 13 is secured which carries a conical cutter 1 1 at its free end, which cutter is rotated by means of a belt 45 from the shaft i2 receiving power by means of a pulley 16. For moving the hollow shaft 11 in vertical direction a cam disk 47 is provided, acting on a pivoted arm 18 which engages the lower end of the shaft 42.

The guide 12 is formed with teeth 49 which are in mesh with the teeth of a gear wheel 50 in engagement with a toothed segment 51 mounted in the guide of the pin applying mechanism. The said toothed segment is made integral with an arm 52 connected by a pin 53 with the carrier 43 so as to cause rocking movement of the carrier upon rotary movement of the segment 51.

l urthermore, the guide 12 is equipped between the openings 51 for the passage of the wires with a conical recess 55 corresponding to the form of the cutter l4 and permitting the cutter to act on the exposed bottom ends of the pins 4.

\Vheu by turning the guide 12 the bottom ends of the pins 1 are severed from the wires (3, the arm 52 is turned about the axis of the hollow spindle 41 by the gearing 5U, 51, and it carries along the arm 43 and rocks the same into the position shown in Fig. 5 in full lines. In this position the carrier is disposed exactly centrically below the guide 12. Now the carrier 13 is lifted by the cam disk 17, so that the cutter 44: passes into the recess 55 of the guide 12 and into position for acting on the bottom ends of the severed wire portions providing the pins 1 and loosely held in the openings 54.

If now the cutter 44 is operated by means of the pulley 46, the bottom ends of the pins 4 are rotated, the fins are removed therefrom, and a conical point is formed thereon.

Thereafter the guide 12 is returned into initial position, and the arm 43 is automaticall returned into initial position and retracts the cutter 44 away from the pin applying mechanism. Now the pin applying mechanism is moved downwardly and towards the lantern-wheel 1, 2, 3 for inserting the pins 4.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction of the pointing mechanism.

By providing testing and pointing means in my improved machine the operation is reliable and continuous, because thereby the pins are smoothly inserted into the lanternwheels and any loss of time by inaccurate fitting of the pins is avoided.

The blanks to which pins have been supplied as set forth above, are brought, by the further rotation of the table 5, under a milled wheel or crimping wheel 15 (Fig. 2), which crimps or rivets the projecting upper ends of the pins 4 so as to upset them in the upper surface of the disk 2, and at the same time the said wheel 15 will produce radial serrations in said surface of the disk 2, as shown in Fig. 1. To obtain this action, I may either rotate the lantern-wheel blanks in the table sockets about their vertical axes, or the wheel 15 may be moved (rolled) upon the upper surface of the disk 2, such wheel in either case also rotating about its own (horizontal) axis, that is to say, the relative motion of the blank and of the wheel 15 is practically the same as that of two gear wheels rotating in mesh with? each other. After the riveting operation has been completed, the lantern-wheel comes into operative relation, by the rotation of the table 5, to an automatic ejector 16, which lifts the finished lantern-wheels from the sockets or holders of the table, so that these sockets become free for the reception of other incomplete (pinless) lantern-wheels. The table 5 ma be given intermittent movements of 90 eac there being thus four points for the performance of the four steps of the operation, viz: first, insertion of the inless lantern-wheels in the sockets of tie table 5; second, insertion of the wire pins in the recesses of the disks 2, 3; third, securing or rivetin of the upper ends of the pins thus inserted and fourth, ejection of the finished lantern-wheels. It will be understood, however, that 1 do not wish to restrict myself to this specific procedure, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the nature of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

' I claim:

1. The method of applying pins to a pinless lantern-wheel blank, which consists in mechanically supporting the pinless blank, inserting a group of pin-forming wires simultaneously into a corresponding group of pin-receiving holes of such blank, and then riveting the ends of such wires while the.

blank remains upon its support so as to preserve the relation of said wires to the blank from the time of their insertion to the completion of the riveting operation.

2. A machine of the class described, comprising ,a movable support adapted for enluu Ill)

, registry with said gagement with one end of a pinless lanternwheel blank, and a guide relatively to which said support is movable, said guide being spaced from said support so that the said blank may be brought between the support and the guide by a movement of'said support which brings the blank resting on the support into registry with said guide, the latter being constructed to lead a bundle of pin-forming wires in predetermined group relation simultaneously to the pin-receiving holes of such blank.

3. A machine of the class described, comprising a movable supportadapted for engagement with one end of a pinless lanternwheel blank, a guide relatively to which said support is movable, said guide being spaced from said support so that the said blank may be brought between the support and the guide by a movement of said support which brings the blank resting on the support into guide, the latter being constructed to lead a bundle of pin-forming wires in predetermined group relation simultaneously to the pin-receiving holes of such blank, and means for severing said wires.

4. A machine of the class described,'comprising a support adapted for engagement with one end-of a pinless lantern-wheel blank,

a guide spaced from said support so that the said blank may be placed between the support and the guide, the latter being constructed to lead a bundle of pin-forming wires to the pin-receiving holes of such blank, and means for severing said wires, said means being located on the side of said guide nearest to said support.

5. A machine of the class described, comprising a support adapted for engagement with one end of a pinless lantern-wheel blank, a guide spaced from said support so that the said blank may be placed between the support and the guide, the latter being constructed to lead a bundle of pin-formin wires to the pin-receiving holes of S110 blank, means for severing said wires, and a stop movable to arrest said wires or to clear their path.

6. A machine of the class described, comprising a support adapted for engagement with one end of a pinless lantern-wheel blank, a guide spaced from said support so that the said blank may be placed between the support and the guide, the latter being constructed to lead a bundle of in-forming wires to the pin-receiving ho es of such blank, means for severing said wires, and a stop located between said support and said guide and movable to arrest said wires or to clear their path.

7. A machine of the class described, comprising a support adapted for engagement with one end of a pinless lantern-wheelblank, a guide spaced from said so port so that the said blank may be placed etween the support and the guide, the latter being constructed to lead a bundle of pin-formin wires to the pin-receiving holes of $110 1 blank, means for severing said wires, and a stop located between said severing means and said support, and movable to arrest said wires or to clear their path.

8. In a machine of the class described, the

combination, with a support for a pinless lantern-wheel blank, gauging means for testing the pin-receiving holes of the blank, and a guide for leading a bundle of pin-forming wires to the said holes of the blank. 9. In a machine of the class described, the combination, witha support for a pinless lantern-wheel blank, a guide for leading a bundle of pin-forming wires to the pin-receiving holes of the blank, gauging pins corresponding to the guides for the pin-forming Wires, and means to pass said gauging. pins into and out of said holes.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination, with a support for a pinless lantern-wheel blank, a guide for leading a bundle of pin-forming wires to the pin-receiving holes of the blank, gauging pins corresponding to the guides for the pin-forming Wires, means to pass said auging pins into and out of said holes, an an e ector controlled by said gauging pins upon improper operation thereof for ejecting said lanternwheel blank.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination, with a support for a pinless lantern-wheel blank, a guide for leading a bundle of pin-forming wires to the pinently of-one another, means to operate said holder for passing said auging pins into and out of said holes, am? means controlled by. the movement of either one of said gauging pins for ejecting said lantern-wheel.

'12. In a machine of the class described, the combination, with a support for a (31- less lantern-wheel blank, a guide for lea g a bundle'of pin-forming wires to the pinreceiving holes of the blank, gauging pins corresponding to the guides for the pinforming wires, a holder wherein said gau ing pins are mounted for yielding indepen ently of one another, means to operate said holder for passing said gauging pins into and out of said holes, and means movable with said holder and controlled by either one of said gauging pins for being brought into ejecting position relatively to said lanpin-receiving holes of said blank, means for severing said wires, and means for removing the fins from the front ends of the pins severed from the wires.

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination, with a su port for a pinless lantern-wheel blank, of means for supplying pin-forming wires to the pin-receivmg holes of said blank, and means to point said wires.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination, with a su port for a pinless lantern-wheel blank, 0 means for supplying pin-forming wires to the pin-receiving holes of said blank, a guide for the ends of said wires formed at itsdelivery side with a recess exposing the wire ends, and a cutter adapted to fashion said wire ends.

16. In a machine of the c ass described, the combination, with asn port for a pinless lantern-wheel blank, 0 means for supplying a bundle of pin-forming wires to the pin-receiving holes of said blank, means for severing said wires, a cutter for fashioning the wire ends, and an operative connection between said severing means and cutter adapted when severing to move the cutter into cutting position and after severing to remove the cutter out of cutting position.

17 A machine of the class described, comprising a traveling support for a pinless lantern-wheel blank, means for guiding a bundle of pin-forming wires to the pin-receiving holes of said blank, in one position of said support, and a riveting device cooperating with said blank in another position of the support.

18. A machine of the class described, comprising a travelin support for a pinless lantern-wlieel blan r, means for applying pin-forming wires to the pin-receiving holes of said blank, in one position of said support, a device co-operating with the blank in another position of the support, to secure the ends of said pins, and an automatic ejector for removing the finished wheels from said support.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

HERBERT KIENZLE. 

